The Veteran's claim for service connection for panic disorder with agoraphobia and history of headaches with fatigue is granted. The Veteran's claim for TDIU is also granted. However, the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to insufficient opinion regarding aggravation by his service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that an addendum opinion is needed to address whether the Veteran’s obstructive sleep apnea is aggravated beyond its natural progression by his service-connected panic disorder with agoraphobia and history of headaches with fatigue.
- Claimed conditions
- panic disorder with agoraphobia, history of headaches with fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19169148
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19169148.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Granted
The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disability, endometriosis, thyroid condition, and chronic fatigue syndrome due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial. The claims are now considered on their merits.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, IBS with GERD, and OSA were denied. The claim for OSA was granted due to the receipt of new evidence showing a current disability.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and a right knee disorder. The evidence did not meet the criteria for direct service connection as there was no in-service diagnosis or continuity of symptomatology.
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